Hello eddieksongs and welcome to the forum.
No, you do not need to install SampleTank first.
Without any details of what you have done so far, we would only be guessing and could give you a lot of redundant / irrelevant info.
In summary, the process is:
-- download and install the MP2 program (and the included Custom Shop and authorization Manager programs)
-- start the MP2 standalone program and Authorise it (via the Authorisation Manager)
-- create a folder to the MP2 Sounds Library, something like:
D:/Sounds/IK Multimedia/SampleTank 3 (yes make "SampleTank 3" the last part of the name)
-- in MP2's Preference Settings, set the disk path for the Sounds Library to that folder,
-- download all of the Sounds Library downloads,
-- extract and run each sounds installer. one at a time, each should selected the folder you named in the Preference Settings.
These FAQs should help too
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/faq/?id=1235https://www.ikmultimedia.com/faq/index.php?category=11&topic=miroslavphilharmonik2#st3